A group of Vancouver Island mountain bikers will be taking full advantage of the June 21 summer solstice.
“I don’t think this has ever been done before,” says Comox Valley rider Chris Makuch of the Summer Solstice Epic. The small group of riders from across the Island will use the longest day of the year to ride eight separate trail networks in a single day. They will start at sunrise in Victoria before heading to Sooke, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, and finally the Comox Valley.
“We have such an amazing network of trails on the Island," says Makuch. "Pretty much every community up and down the Island has its nuggets, and this is our attempt to pack as much of it in as possible in a single day.”
Makuch describes how the group wanted to do something unique while taking full advantage of the daylight. “This is a bit of a celebration for us. A lot of the general public doesn’t realize how extensive the mountain bike community is on the Island, and we want to help show it off.”
Makuch acknowledges that none of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of trail builders and local mountain bike associations. “There are a lot of riders out there who take what we have for granted, and don’t realize the countless hours and dollars that are devoted to making the trails so awesome. Riders need to get involved with their local mountain bike association and help give back, either financially or with their time.”
– Summer Solstice Epic